Wellton on track for continued progress
Both Wellton Mayor Cecilia McCollough and Town Manager Larry Killman agree that the area saw some positive improvements in 2017 that bode well for future progress.
“We just now got our audit,” Killman said. “For the fiscal year from Jan. 1st to July 1st, we had been from a $260,000 budget deficit last year to a positive this year of $60,000 in July. We just verified the numbers through the audit this week actually.”
“We just basically had to cut everything and take it back down to the bare bones, stop with capital expenditures, pay off some debt, and just try to restructure,” he explained. “It was a major undertaking.” Unfortunately with the cuts, Kids Club, a summer youth recreation program, was unable to continue.
“That’s the downside of cutting, is some of those very needed items you simply can’t provide for (them) at the time,” Killman said.
Along with the audit, Wellton saw a number of projects that added to continued improvements, Killman noted, including a couple of major overlay paving projects on the north and south end of town on Avenue 29E and William Street.
“It is the main thoroughfare through town basically,” he said. “While pieces have been done in the middle we had to do each end, both north of town and south of town, because of the high traffic loads. They had just gotten really bad.”
Killman added that the costs for the paving projects amounted to $55,000.
Another step for the town’s continued improvements was the $248,222.87 grant that was awarded to Wellton near the end of October to purchase five new police vehicles and four permanent school zone speed limit signs, the mayor said. The grant was awarded through the Gila River Indian Community to the town after Wellton Police Chief Donald Jones applied for funding around the spring of 2017.
The vehicles and signs are expected to come in late December
or in the first few months of 2018.
“We were very grateful to receive the grant,” McCoullough said.
Additionally, Wellton received a grant for a pickup truck for Operation Stone Garden, which is a Department of Homeland Security initiative to utilize local law enforcement officers to amp up border security.
“We had purchased another new pickup that is used exclusively for Stone Garden and that is when we assist (the) Border Patrol down in the Dome Valley area,” he said. “Basically, we’ve had (the grant) now for several years. It’s almost recurring because of the checkpoint there on Interstate 8 at Telegraph Pass. A lot of the traffic goes around through Dome Valley and Highway 95, so we help them with people trying to go around the check station.”
The grant was in the amount of $50,000 for the vehicle. Another $50,000 was awarded to pay for the officers’ time while they work on the initiative, according to Killman.
Wellton also gained an addition to its businesses, with a new Dollar General set to open before the end of the year.
Looking forward to 2018, Killman and McCoullough said that Wellton will continue some of the town events, such as the car show, Pioneer Days, the Cinco de Mayo celebration, the 4th of July celebration and the Tractor Rodeo, which they noted lost its event sponsor, the Foundation of Yuma Regional Medical Center.
“We are supporting the continuance of the Tractor Rodeo,” McCoullough said.
The rodeo celebrated its 39th year in 2017. Killman said the town will be working with Forgotten Iron to continue the event which attracts thousands of attendees annually who come to see antique farm equipment and more.
“Tri-Valley Ambulance is going to pick up basically the advertising with the help of the Wellton Mohawk Irrigation District,” he stated. “The town is helping out with whatever we can do.”
McCoullough noted it was beneficial to keep the Tractor Rodeo running because it also supports various nonprofits through funding gathered during the event each year.
Next year, Wellton residents can also expect to see the “Halloween Trunk and Treat” occurring again, she said.
On the Dec. 5, the town council also approved the rehabilitation to one of its major water tanks, which has not has not been rehabilitated since it was built about 11 years ago. The fixes will amount to about $133,000 and work on the structure will start in January.
Through the Housing America Corporation and their self-help group, Killman said the town is in the process of purchasing 10 lots to build 10 new homes as well.
“Currently, there are five homes under construction in the town of Wellton, which is a building boom for us,” he stated.
For the future, McCoullough feels optimistic for Wellton.
“I just see ourselves really moving in a way that is positive,” McCollough said. “We are trying to incorporate community and really just try to make our town the best for the residents that are here.”